UNH research:Sex abuse prosecution takes too long; harms victims

DURHAM, N.H.—Research at the University of New Hampshire finds it generally takes an unusually long time to resolve child sex abuse cases, harming child victims.

UNH's Crimes Against Children Research Center found that more than half of all cases took more than a year from indictment to conclusion, with a third taking more than two years. The American Bar Association says the standard time for felony prosecutions should be about six months.

Researcher Wendy Walsh was part of a team that reviewed 160 child sexual abuse cases handled by three communities in Texas. She says authorities may be finding and prosecuting more child molesters, but that prolonged cases mean months of anxious waiting for children, delaying their recovery.